Auckland Anniversary Storm Recovery

On 27 January 2023, the Auckland region experienced its wettest day in recorded history. More than 280 mm of rain fell in less than 24 hours at Albert Park, described by NIWA as a 1-in-200-year event.

The storm caused widespread flooding, landslides and property damage across the region. Thousands of homes were red- or yellow-stickered, leaving homeowners, insurers and local authorities needing rapid, defensible engineering advice.

In the immediate aftermath, Cook Costello mobilised a large team of geotechnical and structural engineers to support recovery efforts. Our work included:

• Rapid Assessments – More than 500 residential properties were inspected for insurers, claim providers, and private homeowners.

• Surveying – Drone technology and adapted survey methods were used where slopes or damaged ground were unsafe to access on foot.

• Project Management – Hundreds of urgent assessments were coordinated through streamlined systems, progress tracking and quality assurance across a multidisciplinary team.

• Remedial Design – For properties requiring slope stabilisation or retaining structures, our engineers carried out investigations, design and construction review to support practical and proportionate repair works.

In the months after the storm, our assessments helped insurers and homeowners progress claims, understand land and building damage, and identify pathways to remediation. Where stabilisation or retaining works were required, our design and construction-phase support helped affected properties move from emergency response toward long-term recovery.

This work built on the large-scale natural hazard recovery experience Cook Costello developed through the Canterbury earthquakes. It is a major part of why we specialise in assessing and repairing land and buildings affected by storms, floods, landslides, earthquakes and ground movement.